


By Morning's Light

by Earthiana



Category: Twilight (Movies), Twilight Series - All Media Types, Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Angst, Female Protagonist, No Bella Swan, Romance, Synesthesia, Teen Romance, Vampires, Werewolf Biology
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-25
Updated: 2018-04-29
Packaged: 2019-04-27 14:22:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14427306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Earthiana/pseuds/Earthiana
Summary: The story of Twilight, as it would have happened if Theodora "Theo" Ross, resident werewolf girl in Forks, fell in love with Edward.~~~~~~~No Bella.Will follow the basic storyline of the four books, but will diverge.





	1. 1

_I’ve never given much thought to how I would die._

_I can’t bring myself to regret the decision I made to leave home. I would miss Alaska. I’d miss the snow. I would miss the rubble of my childhood home._

_There’s nothing here for me now, so I’m going to spend some time with my uncle. This will be a good thing – I think._

  


_In the state of Washington, under a near constant cover of clouds and rain, there’s a small town named Forks. Population: 3,120. This is where I’m moving._

_My uncle’s Noah. He’s a doctor._

“Your hair’s long.” Noah gives a sweeping glance across as Theo, who reaches for the mess of brown curls around her shoulders.

“Yeah, I guess it is.”

The roads flash by, recognisable yet somehow new. There’s more traffic than she’d seen in Alaska, in her remote Barrow, Alaska, despite the increase in population.

_We used to visit in the summers but it’s been years._

  


“I cleared some shelves off in the bathroom.” Noah tells her, brow scrunching as he places her suitcase at the top of the stairs.

Then, he directs her into the guest room. The bed is missing its twin and, instead, a desk is filling the space on the opposite side of the room. They used to share that bed, her mother and Theo, when she was young. Before the world caved in.

“Theo, I understand that you’ll need some time to get used to this but… you can come to me.” Noah drops his eyes to the desk, then back to Theo with caution touching his features. “If you ever need to talk.”

“I know.” She nods once, keeping a firm grasp on her backpack. The bag is light, not much was left after the incident, but she’s holding onto what she has.

As if she would ever run away from the only family she has left.

  


A car horn brings Theo downstairs. Searching for her uncle brings her face to face with a middle aged man, sitting in a wheelchair, and who is presumably his son.

“Theo, this is Billy Black.” Noah gestures to the man, then to the teenager. “And Jacob.”

“Pleased to meet you both.” Theo nods, not quite able to muster up a smile just yet. There’s something about these men – a warm, golden hue seems to surround them. It’s different from the white mist that follows Noah.

The moment she started seeing colour – intensifying and rich – was the day that her family was slaughtered by the beast. When her eyes opened, their blood sparkled before her eyes with white light.

She’s never seen gold.

“Hi, uh, I’m Jacob.” He draws her back, smiling pleasantly as her uncle and Billy Black speak separately, paces away. “It’s not often that someone comes to town. Forks high?”

“You go there?” Theo perks up, but Jacob’s face immediately shifts.

“Oh, I go to school on the reservation.” He responds, features blank. He watches intently as Theo nods, glancing away.

“That’s too bad – it would have been nice to know at least one person.”

Any thought of friendship is lost when Noah gestures to the motorbike at the end of their drive and smiles. “So? What do you think? Your homecoming present.”

“This?” Theo stares at the bike – it’s just like her sister’s. Less rustic, darker. Just like her, now.

  


Forks High looks as bleak on the outside as she’s used to school being on the inside. It’s red walls look grey under the thick cover of cloud and, despite the rows of large windows, it reminds Theo of a cave.

_My first day at a new school. It’s March, middle of the semester. Great._

“Nice ride.” Calls a boy in a red letterman.

She looks back at the bike, considers it for half a second, then nods her thanks.

Jacob seemed to be right when he mentioned that people rarely move into town because she only manages to make her way to the school reception and grab a timetable before a black-haired boy is rushing towards her with an eager smile and a notebook.

“You’re Theodora Ross – the new girl! Hi, I’m Eric, the eyes and ears of this place.” He joins her for a couple of steps down the corridor, watching the ground as if he’s trying to remember something. Then his head lifts, a broad smile growing. “Anything you need? A tour guide, lunch date, shoulder to cry on?”

She stares, slightly open-mouthed, because this guy seems nice enough but he _talks_.

“I tend to suffer in silence.” She tilts her head away, already thinking about lunch. After all, the real test of any high school experience is all about the quality of the food.

“Good headline for your future – I’m on the paper and you’re news, Baby, front page.” He explains, cutting into any hopeful daydreams of a hearty cheeseburger.

“No, no, I’m not!” Theo stops, turning to face Eric when that registers. The idea of everyone in this school knowing her name is just – no, she can’t have that.

“Whoa, chillax.” Eric holds up his hands, still smiling. “No feature.”

Theo, dazed, stares for another moment before her mind wanders to cafeteria lunches and her legs wander to gym.

  


Gym class is a mess of basketball and volleyball, merging several times when one ball, either orange or white, loses its way and stops both games.

Luckily, this is her strong suit and Theo earns herself a short break by spiking the oncoming volleyball across the net, much to the surprise of Mike Newton, who dashes over in a wisp of white fog and pushes his friends away.

“You’re, em, Theodora, right?”

“Just Theo.” She corrects, just about to push back her curls when Mike quickly takes her hand, mistaking it for a handshake.

“Yeah, hey, I’m Mike. Newton.” He grins, face changing when a smiley brunette dashes towards them.

“She’s got a great spike, huh?” She addresses Mike, then turns to Theo with the same happy expression she’s been seeing all day.

“I’m Jessica, by the way.” She glances between Mike – who is less flustered and now looking away – and Theo. “Hey! You’re from Alaska, right?”

“Yeah.” Theo nods, glancing back at the other girls as they resume playing without them.

“Aren’t people from Alaska supposed to be, like, really pale?” Jess laughs sweetly, still glancing between her and Mike as if Theo’s about to steal him.

“Maybe that’s why they kicked me out.”


	2. 2

Jessica does seem nice, if only extremely in love with Mike, so she takes up the girl’s offer to lunch that day. Jessica doesn’t comment when Theo loads up on two burgers and a small mountain of fries but she does glance between the tray and her several times, blatantly wondering how (or, perhaps, why) she eats so much. Especially considering they share a similar dress size.

They’re joined by Eric, Mike, and Angela, a petite girl with glasses and a large camera.

The food is her main focus – from the orange wisps surrounding the burger to the blue haze around her soda – as she half-heartedly listens to Jessica and Angela suggest alternative options for the school paper. That is, until a red cloud of smoke seeps through the white mist of the cafeteria.

It spills across the floor in rolling waves from the door leading outside, billowing violently until the first two figures emerge.

“They’re the Cullens.” Angela notices her staring.

Jessica squirms in excitement, leaning in as she pokes a fork at her salad. “They’re Dr and Mrs Cullen’s foster kids. They moved from Alaska a few years ago.”

“They kinda keep to themselves.” Angela shrugs but Theo is concentrating on the red smoke under their shoes, wrapping around each skin of the Cullen formation.

“Yeah – ‘cause they’re all together.” Jessica checks over her shoulder. “Like _together-together_.”

Jessica points out the tall, curvy blonde – Rosalie – and the muscular teen beside her – Emmett. Rosalie walks tall and looks smug as they make their way to a table, far across the room. Emmett seems amused but Theo’s eyes don’t linger on expression.

There’s a short moment between the clouds of ruby that Theo almost doesn’t notice the second couple – Alice the dainty, short-haired girl and her boyfriend, Jasper. His expression never changes as he watches Alice smile, prancing across the cafeteria.

“Dr Cullen’s, like, this foster dad slash matchmaker.” Jessica blushes into her food.

_Doctor, huh?_

“Who’s he?” Theo gestures over their shoulders.

The last member of the Cullen family is standing at the door, holding it open but remaining paused. His eyes seem to be watching the red clouds around his feet. However, he looks up quickly enough and gives the room a quick scan, face smoothing into a clearer expression.

“…that’s Edward Cullen…” Theo picks out of Jessica’s ramblings. She watches intently as he crosses the room, eyes darting from person to person until, eventually, he takes his seat beside the other Cullens and finds Theo’s eyes.

The green smog around her seat seems to intensify. Edward’s eyes shift minutely, scanning the floor again, before settling on her eyes, brow furrowed into a confused expression.

_Why red? ___

  


Theo is in class early, to collect her things for the biology lesson, when she’s assigned a seat.

Edward arrives shortly after, pausing in front of an obnoxiously big fan for such a chilly climate. The red fog sweeps in Theo’s direction, sweet-scented and innocent. His brow creases again, but he walks towards her and settles in the seat to her right, taking his own notebook and textbook from his bag.

He rubs his temples and turns his head – that’s all she experiences of Edward Cullen.

  


Theo stands outside of her uncle’s old, white house until his light flickers off. She watches, waits, for a long moment, and then turns her face to the woods.

_Her eyes are glazed as the hulking, sable creature turns its long snout away from the bloody remains of her mother. Over its head, the sun begins to rise._

She stretches her legs, giving the full moon in the sky a short glance before taking off at a sprint through the dense forest. Her feet, bare and fleshy, twist awkwardly over the roots below, tripping and buckling. Then, they grow, lengthening and breaking apart, reforming in front of her eyes.

The colours of the world remain, but all other sight disappears into blackness, until her werewolf eyes see only flashes of colour and trace for something to hunt, kill, and devour.

_The black monster bites down on her arm, just about to tear and gnaw, when the sun shines brightly on its skin and the muscles begin to recede, as do the fangs buried in her arm._

_Through the agony, Theo makes out the bloody, horrified face of a young boy. His eyes flash between the bodies, then back to her._

_They are siblings of the moon now._

  


Theo wakes up in shudders, convulsing as consciousness begins to return. The first thing she sees is the carcass of a bear, ripped apart viciously by her own hands. Its skull – caved in and polluting the world with orange gas. The smell of meat, visualised in her animalistic mind.

The leathery hide is pungent, filling her vision with pale amber. She runs, bare flesh scraping the ground until she staggers to her feet, choking back vomit and tears at what she’s done.

When moonlight overpowers the light of the sun, werewolves prowl. Moonlight, itself, is not the worst case scenario. Sometimes, Theo can even resist the transformation.

However, the full moon brings forth a lack of consciousness and the most vicious killings witnessed by man. Killing for food, for meat, is natural. Killing for sport is sick.

Her naked body bristles in the cold, but as is the nature of her transformations. Luckily, her clothes are planted in a cloud of green mist as she steadily makes her way home.

Once she’s dressed, she sneaks into the house and has enough time to shower and redress before Noah finds her in the hallway.

“Excited for your second day of school?” He smiles slightly, only just out of bed himself.

Theo stuffs her hands into the pockets of her hoodie. “I guess… I have Biology with Edward Cullen.”

“Carlisle’s boy?” Noah raises an eyebrow.

“You know Dr Cullen?” Theo swallows the taste of blood stuck in her throat and considers skipping breakfast.

“We work together, he’s a good man.” Noah gives her a once over, nodding. “You know, we can hold off on the whole school thing if you need to, there’s no rush.”

“I just didn’t sleep well.”


	3. 3

Theo’s admittedly very pleased at the rainfall in Forks. The overwhelming scents around her are dampened, reducing the chance of returning after a moonlight stroll with something dead on her conscience. Unfortunately, it means that the second full moon of her stay here left her wounded by morning.

Werewolves always attack something and sometimes that means themselves.

So, despite the pain, Theo smiles when Mike asks her about the weather. Then, even more surprisingly, Edward Cullen actually looks at her for the first time in weeks when she steps into the classroom.

“Hello.” He’s got that same curious scrunch in his brow as he looks at her. “I’m sorry I haven’t had a chance to introduce myself. I’m Edward Cullen… You’re Theo?”

Finally, someone who doesn’t call her Theodora first time around.

“Yes.” She manages before Mr Molina directs the class to start looking through their microscope at onion cells. Boring and confusing, to say the least.

Despite her high aptitude for sports, she’s never been one for science. Unfortunately for her, her old course had different content so here she is, stuck in a room with people who expect her to remember the stages of mitosis.

However, once the prospect of food is introduced – the ‘golden onion’ and how gold it is, indeed – Theo perks up slightly.

Edward makes a noise beside her, smiling down at his book when she breaks her gaze away from the onion.

Ah, yes, purple mist. The colour of foods werewolves don’t crave but humans do. In contrast, blue is for berries and sweet things; orange is meat.

Red remains the mystery colour that surrounds the Cullens.

“Ladies first.” Edward pushes the microscope towards her and Theo mentally curses. She does want that onion though (Will it last in her bag? Onion breath may not be so unappealing to her but surely she would get some unappreciative looks…) so she stuffs her hair behind her ears and places her eye to the lens.

“Pro—No, metaphase?” She huffs, pulling back from the microscope to check the diagrams in her notes. They look awfully similar. “Prophase.”

“Do you mind if I, ah, look?” Edward gestures to the microscope, but his eyes are fixed on Theo’s, still looking curious. She pushes it across hastily. After all, there is food involved.

“It’s prophase.” Edward returns, a smile twitching at the corners of his mouth.

  


Theo and Edward are the proud owners of the golden onion before any other team is even close to being finished, so they’re waiting at their table. Just as Theo’s about to offer the spoils to Edward, despite _really_ wanting something to eat, he offers it to her first.

“Am I that obvious?” Theo laughs, reaching out pleasantly for what will become her afternoon treat if it survives long enough in her bag.

He doesn’t answer that, perhaps being polite, and instead watches her studiously. “So, are you enjoying the rain?”

“You’re asking me about the weather?” She grins down at the onion, then glances to Edward with the same amused expression. “Ok – I like the rain. That is, after forgiving it for what it does to my hair.”

Edward laughs, a little too amused. “Is that why you moved to the wettest place in the continental US?”

Just like that, her smile dies off. “My mother died and I don’t have a dad.”

Edward’s smile fades away, but the curious look he always seems to have remains.

“So I live with my uncle, now. He works with your dad – Noah Ross?” Theo continues, glancing down at the purple wisps coating the flesh of her onion. “He’s great.”

She meets Edward’s gaze again, then pauses. His eyes are dark brown, almost black. She drops her gaze, trying to recall that first Biology class but nothing comes to mind.

  


She’s at her motorbike, cramming books haphazardly into her bag, when she catches a glimpse of red haze across the car park – the Cullens. Edward is staring at her, puzzled, when she turns back to her bag, trying to fit everything in and find a safe spot for her onion at the same time. She regards it, perhaps too fondly for an onion, but she did win it with her new… friend? And in biology, no less.

The noise of a horn emits loudly from behind her as Tyler’s van skids across some ice, speeding faster and faster towards her until—

Edward is at her side in seconds, one hand extended towards the van and the other wrapped around her shoulders, holding her safe. When she looks up, the trail of scent he left behind is disjointed, in straying clouds of pale ruby.

His hand, pushing away the van and _denting_ it.

She looks at Edward, examines his stony, shocked expression, then lurches back, scrambling to her feet. The cut on her head is already healing – she can feel it piecing together – but Edward is looking at the blood, an unreadable expression forming on his face.

With the smell of her blood in the air, she can see billows of green. Edward’s eyes shift to where Theo sees the colour and just for a moment, she thinks it might be real – he might be something like her – but he stands up and makes his exit before a swarm of concerned students surround her.

  


“I’m sorry, Theo, I tried to stop.” Tyler is more banged up than she is when he apologises from the adjacent hospital bed.

“I know, it’s ok.” Theo smiles convincingly enough, but the wound on her head is healing quickly and she’ll soon have no explanation for the blood.

“I heard Dr Ross’ niece was here.” A pale man, whiter than snow, rounds the bed and smiles invitingly at Theo. She doesn’t even stop to consider that this could be anyone other than Dr Cullen. He takes over for the nurse, the takes a glance at her chart. “Theodora, your uncle has been called – he’s currently in surgery but he will make his way through as quickly as possible.”

She nods, looking down at the blood on her jeans, then back at Dr Cullen. Head wounds bleed a lot, but soon there’ll be nothing to inspect. Vaguely, she wonders if Edward mentioned her. If this man recognises her name through anyone other than her uncle.

“Well, Theo, looks like you took quite a spill – how do you feel?”

She nods shortly. “Good.”

“Look here.” Dr Cullen brings out a pen light but Theo immediately shifts her gaze away. There’s only a short moment before she _does_ meet Dr Cullen’s finger with her gaze.

The reflective nature of her canine pupils catches him off guard – Theo can see it immediately – but he doesn’t comment. After the light-following process, he reaches for her chart again, gives it a quick once over, then smiles back at her.

“You might experience some post-traumatic stress or disorientation, but your vitals look good. No signs of any head trauma. I think you’ll be just fine.”

“You know, it would have been a whole lot worse if Edward wasn’t there.” She leans in slightly, trying to gauge his reaction. “He knocked me out of the way.”

After no reply, she tries again.

“Yeah, it was amazing. He got to me so fast, he was nowhere near me.” Theo explains. Carlisle looks at her, stares, then gives another polite smile.

“Sounds like you were very lucky.”


	4. 4

“What was I supposed to do? Let her die?” Edward’s voice is picked up clearly by Theo’s ears as she waits for her uncle in the reception.

Theo steps towards the adjacent corridor and sees Edward huddled together with his sister, Rosalie, and Dr Cullen.

“This isn’t just about you, this is about all of us.” Rosalie returns, heated.

“I think we should take this in my office.” Carlisle advises, his gaze lifting up to Theo. She ducks her head, then watches the red smog under Edward’s feet making its way towards her.

“How did you get over to me so fast?” Theo asks before Edward has the chance to speak. He glances to her head, where any signs of injury are long gone. It’s clear they both have questions for one another.

“I was standing right next to you, Theo.”

“Don’t lie.” Her hands curl into fists. “You don’t have to tell me whatever insane secret your family has – just don’t lie to me.”

Edward stops smiling, looking affronted.

“Theo!” Her uncle rounds the corner, covered in bloody scrubs. In the seconds that Edward continues to stare at her, his eyes darken.

“Are you ok?” Noah draws her into a tight hug. “You could have died, I was so worried about you.”

When she regains some breathing room, Edward is long gone.

  


“Do you want to go? To prom? With me?” Mike is a flustered mess but he’s nice enough to trying.

“Mike, thank you, but,” she feels terrible at the sight of his expression, “I wasn’t planning on going. It’s not really my scene. You should ask Jessica, I know she wants to go with you.”

Mike’s expression becomes less dejected as he looks over his shoulder at Jess.

She doesn’t miss Edward’s smile as Mr Molina calls them to the busses.

Just what is that supposed to mean?

  


It seems a waste that so many people throw away food, Theo realises as she walks through a purple haze of smelly vegetable parts gone unused. Then again, most people are pickier than her when it comes to appetites.

“What’s your scene?” Edward asks suddenly as she walks through the greenhouse of splendid tomato plants.

“My…?” Theo turns, startled. Oh, that’s right. “You were listening?”

“You didn’t answer my question.” Edward deflects, joining her path through the greenery.

“You don’t answer any of mine, so…” Theo stuffs her hands in her pockets. “I mean, you don’t even say ‘hi’ to me.”

“Hi.”

She scoffs but slightly turns her body to face him. “Are you going to tell me how you stopped the van?”

Edward opens his mouth, looking as if he has an excuse planned, but he stops before it comes out. “No… Look, I’m sorry I’m being rude all the time, I just think it’s the best way—”

“Bella!” Jessica bursts in on the conversation and Edward uses it as his escape. “Guess who just asked me to prom?”

  


“Theo, look! It’s a worm!” Eric laughs as he dangles the orange-mist in front of her face. She easily plucks it from the twig and throws it at him, earing herself a chuckle at the way he squeals in response.

“Theo.” Edward accosts her, again, on the way to the bus, looking thoroughly antsy. “We shouldn’t be friends.”

She scoffs, turning to face him. “You really should have figured that out a little earlier.”

They walk for a couple of steps before Theo stops, gesturing emptily to one side. “If you were going to regret it this much, you should have let the van hit me.”

“You think I regret saving you?” Edward asks, his eyebrows shooting up.

“You’re not exactly hiding it.” She mumbles, turning her head as the other Cullens approach. She gives once last glance to Edward, then strides off towards the other bus.

  


As the week pushes on, Theo’s stress at the idea of another full moon is quelled, thankfully, by the concept of La Push beach and surfing. She’s never tried it before, but who knows?

“Edible art?” Edward appears over her shoulder as she tries to balance as much as she can on one plate, along with the apple that rolls off the tray and bounces from Edward’s foot, right back into his hands. “Theo?”

Soccer and food are two topics of interests she’s be ready to explore but Edward’s made it clear he doesn’t want to be friends.

“You know, your mood swings are giving me whiplash.” She comments, moving to the next row to see what confectionary they have. Biscuits are definitely on her tray within seconds.

“I only said it’d be better if we weren’t friends, not that I didn’t want to be.” He acknowledges, watching Theo choose between two cupcakes and end up with both.

“It means, if you were smart, you’d stay away from me.” Edward clarifies but it doesn’t exactly clear things up.

“You’ve seen my scores in Biology.” Theo turns to him. “Can’t you tell me the truth?”

He shakes his head yet doesn’t run off, like she’s used to. “I’d rather hear your theories.”

“I’ve considered full moons but you don’t strike me as a werewolf.” She retorts bluntly. Edward’s eyes shift, then the crease comes back.

“A werewolf.”

“Transforms under the moon.” She agrees, keeping it just vague enough that Edward might be able to piece something together. Evidently, he’s not very smart, either.

“Why don’t we just hang out?” She offers. “Everybody’s going to the beach. Come. Have fun.”

“La Push.”


	5. 5

A crowd of gold rushes towards Tyler’s van as Jacob and two unnamed males. Theo rushes towards him instantly and wraps her arms around him in a friendly greeting.

“Jacob, hey!” She pulls back, then gestures to the others. “Guys, this is Jacob.”

They offer polite introductions, then Theo sits back in the side of the van, grinning. “What are you, like, stalking me?”

“You’re on my res, remember?” Jacob nudges her knee with his own.

“You guys should keep Theo company. Her, uh, date bailed.” Jessica pipes up in amusement. When the others ask, she smiles. “She invited Edward.”

“He’s cool.” She defends them both, then pauses. “Most of the time.”

“I think it’s nice she invited him. Nobody ever does.” Angela adds. Theo sends her a smile. Angela’s pretty quiet but she’s always so nice. It’s no wonder she’s friends with the others, even if she’s not as outgoing as they are.

“Yeah, ‘cause Cullen’s a freak.” Mike huffs.

“You got that right.”

Theo looks up at one of the unnamed guys, frowning.

“The Cullens don’t come here.”

  


_“Did you know the Quileutes are supposedly descended from wolves?”_

Holy shit. Wolves.

The Quileutes might not be werewolves – werewolves attack each other more than anything else and would never form a pack – but they’re in the same wheelhouse. What does that make the Cullens?

Theo’s thinking about this as she shakes off the nervous shudders wrecking her body in the pale light of the moon.

She writhes, barely able to even start unbuttoning her jacket, never mind fully undressing and stashing her clothes somewhere safe for her return. Claws are digging out of her fingers, which are lengthening and twisting at awkward angles.

It’s the full moon tomorrow night, meaning that this moon is going to be a bad one.

Her scream comes out as a demented howl as her skull breaks, reforming into a short snout that amplifies the colours in her vision.

Her feet break through the sneakers she has on, then take off at a sprint through the forest, fur bristling in the cold breeze.

The vague shape of a deer draws her attention from running and, immediately, her paws are digging into the carcass and pulling apart the flesh like paper mache. Her snout burrows into the gaping hole her claws have created and snaps a rib bone out of the animal. Completely motivated by the animalistic desire to destroy, she snuffles at the dead creature for longer. When she pulls her snout free, a red figure is basking in her ‘vision’. It’s still – stock still – but then Theo bellows out a roar that sends it running.

The challenge is set and she takes off after the red smoke, catching the creature in seconds and pinning it to the ground.

When its arms wrap around her midsection and clamp down, her body is flushed with pain. It’s not unbearable and she bites at the moving thing before it can do any more damage.

The flesh is solid under her fangs and unrelenting but, soon, she starts to hear cracks. It yells out and more respond, one in particular running at her from one side.

But werewolves are big and her jaws are locked around its head, ready to tear, when she actually hears a howl.

Werewolves don’t howl, but it’s close enough to a roar that Theo stops immediately. She sniffs, dropping the head without a second’s thought. Her head lifts, listening closely for another noise to chase after.

The next noise just so happens to be the rustling of leaves and everything in the werewolf’s brain tells her top attack.

She takes off, knocking trees to the ground in a path through the dense forest.

By morning’s light, there’s nothing left of the red shadows.

  


Theo’s head is pounding after a couple of rough transformations over the weekend, so the sunlight really isn’t helping. Especially when she feels so tired.

“He’s not here.” Jessica catches her looking around for red, though and gives her a brief glance before letting her head roll back again. “Whenever the weather’s nice, the Cullens disappear.”

“They just ditch?” She asks in return. Ditching is starting to seem like a great idea.

“No, um, Dr and Mrs Cullen yank them out for, like, hiking and camping and stuff. Tried that on my parents – not even close.”

Theo doesn’t ask more, in the hope that some quiet will soothe her headache, but she does respond to Angela with an eager hug when she explains that she asked Eric to prom.

“We should totally go to Port Angeles before all the good dresses are cleared out.”

  


She’d needed some new shoes after wrecking her good sneakers, so Theo had separated from Jessica and Angela after reassuring them that “yes, you look great in that colour”.

Unfortunately, she couldn’t quite find any sneakers, only boots and high heels. New to town, she has no idea where to look. Just as she’s making her way to the restaurant, two of the men who’d ‘noticed’ them in the dress store see her making her way across the street and head in her direction.

Not looking for anything to tempt her temper, she turns for the other direction, ignoring the white wisps that chase after her. She emerges from the ally and two more are in sight, passing cans between them.

“Don’t touch me.” Theo growls, feeling her nails start to burn as they lengthen, ever so slightly, and dig into her bones. When one tries to grab her, she slices a clean set of cuts across his face and he recoils, cursing into his hands.

A silver car speeds around the corner, coming to a halt inches from the guys, almost hitting them but not quite.

“Get in the car.” Edward steps from the vehicle in a flurry of crimson, glaring down the men.

They back off as he exudes rage, then he strides back to the car and climbs inside, speeding back onto the main road, to the protest of many other drivers.

“I should go back there and rip those guys’ heads off.” He snarls, eyes trained on the road.

Theo curls her fingers into her palms, watching the blood drip from her nails. “You shouldn’t.”

“You don’t know the vile, repulsive things they were thinking.” Edward hisses. She reaches out for his arm, squeezing light to get his attention but not distract him too much from the road.

“I’m ok.”


	6. 6

“You don’t have a big appetite, do you?” Theo murmurs, looking up at Edward as she pierces pasta with a fork.

“I’m on a special diet.” Edward responds lightly. He smiles as Theo bites into some pasta, swirling it around on her plate.

“How did you know where I was?” Theo brings up, next. Edward looks somewhat guilty, but he doesn’t lie.

“I wanted to see you.” He admits, turning his face away. “Something _happened_. Animal attack, in Forks. I feel very protective of you, Theo.”

“So you followed me.”

At worst, she might have a stalker. At best…

“I was going to keep a steady distance, in case you needed my help, and then I heard what those _low-lives_ were thinking—”

“Wait—You say you heard what they were thinking?” Theo ducks her head, trying to maintain eye contact when Edward turns his own away. “So, what, you read minds?”

“I can read every mind in this room.” Edward clarifies, looking up again.

Theo leans back, frowning slightly in contemplation. She listens carefully as Edward looks around the room, listing off thoughts one by one until his eyes meet hers.

“Your food is orange and purple.” Edward looks at the pasta, brow creasing. “I don’t know how but…”

“I see smells.” Theo states blankly, processing this. “I haven’t told anyone that.”

Confronted with this, Edward barely even blinks in response. Then again, mind reading is probably a bit more emphatic.

“I see colours everywhere.” Edward looks around the room. “I know that white is a person, I’m red and you’re… green. I don’t know what that makes you.”

“Maybe we both have secrets.” Theo leans across the table, a light smile playing on her lips.

“I don’t have the strength to stay away from you anymore.” Edward reaches for her hand across the table, his grasp freezing cold against Theo’s perpetually burning skin. She lightly traces the nail of her thumb against the back of his hand.

“Then don’t.”

  


They pass the police station and barely give a second thought to the blaring sirens of the cars.

  


_Theo lies on the floor of her old house, amidst the wreckage._

_Her eyes flicker to the lifeless bodies of her mother and older sister, scanning them for any signs of what used to be. There is no sadness though, or fear, and despite the bite wounds over her arm, there is no pain._

_Theo pushes herself to her feet, slowly. When she opens her eyes, there’s nothing but blackness and red figures, standing stationary in her wolf’s sight._

_Sifting through the darkness, she passes several red figures, frozen in time and space until she comes across a shifting body. It’s red, just like the others, but darker, almost purple. In fact, Theo can barely make out the colour, but it’s there, growing darker and darker until the figure is almost black, merging in with the darkness around it. Faintly, there’s a reddish border, perceivable only when Theo really squints._

_She moves closer, reaching out with a paw that becomes a hand when it moves nearer this figure, growing more and more human until the darkness of the figure starts to turn peachy, skin-coloured._

_It becomes Edward and his mouth is slick with blood._

  


Theo’s eyes meet Edward’s across the car park. As soon as they meet, she starts walking in his direction, away from her bike and up the grass hill over his shoulder.

His footsteps trace hers as he follows her towards the forest.

She goes directly into the trees until she finds a spot where she’s sure no-one can hear them.

“You’re impossibly fast. And strong. Your skin is pale white and ice cold. Sometimes you speak like you’re from a different time. You never eat or drink anything. You don’t go out in the sunlight…” Theo lists off.

Edward’s mist is black, rippling across the tree roots below them like ink in water, smooth and steady in the air.

“How old are you?”

“Seventeen.”

“How long have you been seventeen?” Theo turns to face him, her eyes baring hard into his.

His lips hesitate around his response. “A while.”

“I know what you are.” She doesn’t step closer, nor does she back away.

“Say it. Out loud.” Edward doesn’t blink, as if he’s scared to miss a second of this. “Say it.”

“Vampire.” She’s not afraid.

“Then ask me the most basic question: what do we eat?”

“The same thing I do.” Theo’s eyes harden. Edward’s lips curl into another one of those twisted grins.

“You’re a child of the moon.” He knew it. “You attacked my family. It was you.”

“I wasn’t in control.” 

Theo doesn’t need to explain herself, however, because Edward’s smile turns soft as he lightly steps towards her. His hands reach for her own, lightly reaching out to embrace her. For a moment, he frowns. “We should be killing each other.”

“We should.” Theo’s aware of the biology, no matter how badly she does in class. Werewolves and vampires compete for the same food source: blood. Werewolves have the added benefit of flesh and bone – they’re _not_ picky.

“I’m afraid of losing you.” Theo admits, pulling Edward closer. He smiles in return, something soft and infrequent.

“You don’t know how long I’ve waited for you.” Edward reaches up to stroke away her hair. “And so the lion fell in love with the wolf.”


	7. 7

_About three things, I was absolutely positive._

_First, Edward was a vampire. Second, there was a part of him, and I didn’t know how dominant that part may be, that viewed me as a threat to survival. And third, I was unconditionally, and irrevocably in love with him._

Edward picks her up the morning after their confession and their arrival at school causes everyone to stop and stare.

Grinning smugly behind his sunglasses, Edward looks ahead, unfazed.

“If it wasn’t obvious before…” Theo murmurs, joining Edward in a smile when she hears his low chuckle above her head.

“I’m breaking all the rules now, anyway.” Edward looks up as they pass the cloud of red smoke that is his family, watching them intently. He sends them a pointed glance before reaching up to wrap his arm around Theo’s shoulders. “And since I’m going to Hell…”

  


Theo bounds over the spiked stones, hopping from rock to rock before stopping to look out at the sea.

“Werewolves don’t bite people.” Theo explains, looking out over the cliff edge in mild wonder at the scenery. She looks to the edge, wondering how it would feel to jump off and sweep across the ocean like a bird, flying far and fast with nothing holding her back. Turning, she glances back at Edward’s cautious look. “We don’t like the competition. Werewolves don’t tolerate each other, we’d always prefer a fight over food.”

He joins her by the cliff, watching the waves roll in gently over the sea.

“What was it like?” Edward reaches for her hand, icy fingers entangled in her own.

“Cold. The pain was like ice, piercing right into my mind.” Theo’s eyes harden. “But what the boy went through was much harder. To be trapped in his head, watching and unable to do anything.”

“How do you prevent yourself…?” Edward asks, the question silent on his lips.

Theo’s gaze drops to the water slapping against the cliff face below. “Sometimes, I can’t.”

  


Theo sniffs the air, a smile forming in her face when she recognises Edward’s scent, permanently black from the dream she had. It’s sweeter, less potent and rich like his siblings. He jumps from the roof of the shed onto the ground, where she’s trying to clean mud off the side of her bike.

“Could you at least act human?” Theo rolls her eyes, stuffing her hair back behind her left ear. “I have neighbours.”

“I’m gonna take you to my place tomorrow.” Edward explains, looking more determined than she’s ever seen him.

“You smell like meat.” She tells him, then pauses. Suddenly, everything feels very real and the beast in her head protests at the thought of vampires. “Wait, like, with your family?”

“Yeah.”

“What if they don’t like me?” Theo presses, wringing out the sponge in her hands over the bucket of hot, soapy water.

Edward leans against her bike. “So you’re worried, not because you’ll be in a house full of vampires, but because you think they won’t approve of you?”

His smile is irritating and Theo rolls her eyes at the teasing. “I have fangs of my own, remember? More than four.”

Edward still laughs at her, though, until he freezes suddenly. Theo glances up at the golden-mist car sweeping over the horizon. “What is it?”

“Complication.” Edward shrugs, brow creasing. “I’ll pick you up tomorrow.”

As Edward drives away from the house in a flurry of darkness, the golden clouds grow closer, identifying themselves as Billy and Jacob.

She watches the clashing scents before brushing it off, turning her attention to Jacob as he unloads Billy’s wheelchair from the back of the truck. She offers a wave, ignoring the way Billy’s eyes follow the road.

“Come to visit your bike?”

“Looks good!” Jacob nods at it but Billy laughs at him.

“Actually, we came to visit your flat screen.” He explains, turning to his son. “Plus, Jacob here keeps bugging me about seeing you again.”

“Great, Dad.” He murmurs sarcastically. “Thanks.”

“Just keeping it real, Son.”

Despite the jokes, Theo gives Jacob a quick hug when Noah takes over, manoeuvring Billy’s chair up to the front steps. With beer and ‘Harry Clearwater’s homemade fish fry’, they go towards the house.

“Any luck with that Waylon case?”

Noah huffs, turning Harry’s chair around. “Well, I don’t think it was an animal that killed him.”

“Never thought it was.” Billy agrees, looking up to meet Theo’s eyes. He agrees to warn the others at the res, then: “Don’t want anyone else getting hurt, do we?”

The police cars, that night Edward drove her home from Port Angeles – it was an animal attack?

  


Edward’s house is at the end of a long, winding road through the forest. Despite her desire to trail the woodlands, meeting Edward’s parents may require some degree of cleanliness and lack of paws.

The house itself is three floors high with a wall of windows. It’s spacious and open. At least, in appearance. Theo stares at the glass door as Edward holds it open for her, both of them escaping from the light rain.

_To watch a world you can never take part in…_

“Something like a meat locker.” Theo ponders, when Edward questions her expectations. The image of deer carcasses hanging on silver hooks is vastly different from the modern lounge set before her. No traces of orange mark the whiteness of the house, meaning there’s definitely no meat.

Red, well, that’s a different story.

From smears on the sofas to bloody footprints on the wooden floor, red marks the modern interior like a murder scene. Edward grimaces at her side, then meets Theo’s eyes in stark realisation.

His own colour has changed. Permanently, the red smoke under his feet is black, leaving charcoal stains darker than any black he’s ever seen. So dark that the clouds appear ready to suck in furniture and dust, mini-vortexes wherever he walks.

The light caress of Theo’s hair leaves inky stains in his wake.

But Theo’s nose has been attracted by orange, indeed. Some purple, too.

He’d warned his parents not to cook before they made their way through. Despite Theo’s appetite, she’d already eaten and what they might produce may be less than appetising after centuries of deer, bears, and lions.

Through her mind, he sees the colours blending and darkening gradually. Perhaps dark orange means cooked meat?

Edward lightly brushes his fingers against her arm when she startles at his side. He may not have Jasper’s knack with emotions but the onslaught of violence in her mind is overpowering. The red clouds are growing stronger and stronger.

Theo’s hand is gripping his, claws digging into the flesh of his palm. Before his skin cracks, however, the viciousness settles and her eyes shift directly to the food.

Her eager sniff makes him smile.

“Theo, we’re making steak for you.” Esme approaches first, ever warm and welcoming. Theo looks up from the food, almost in a daze at the overwhelming overlap of scents in the room. There’s a lot of meat and she has the feeling that Edward’s mentioned her appetite.

There may not be a dead deer hanging from the ceiling, but there’s an array of venison spread across the counter, some sliced while others go unused.

“Theo, this is Esme. My mother, for all intents and purposes.” Edward introduces.

Most of the family seems dainty, up close. Without Carlisle’s white coat and the eternal posse of Cullen siblings grouped together, they’re really not so daunting.

“Given us an excuse to use the kitchen for the first time.” Carlisle looks almost as eager about that as she is about the smell.

“I hope you’re hungry.” Esme pitches in.

Edward’s ready to deflect when Theo rolls on her heels, grinning toothily. “ _Absolutely._ ”

Edward is, however, ready to catch her when a new flash of red overpowers her vision and Theo stumbles backwards, gripping tightly at his arm.

Theo’s claws are cutting through his shirt, easily slicing the material.

“Alice.” Edward warns, looking over at the window. Alice and Jasper hop down from the tree branch outside of the kitchen window, Alice smiling despite the danger that could pose from triggering one of Theo’s transformations. As far as she’s described to Edward thus far, her transformations are different from the shapeshifters, in that they aren’t caused by emotional stimuli. Instead, supernatural creatures are the biggest threats, along with moonlight.

“It’s ok, Theo and I are going to be great friends.” She offers, then politely introduces herself.

Theo lifts her gaze, looking to Jasper in horror. She can smell her scent, digging into his skin like a virus. She bit him. He was the red figure, that night she attacked.

“It won’t hurt you.” She blurts out, a guilt-induced admission. “Not if I didn’t… rip anything.”

Jasper stiffens, his eyes unblinking and trained on hers, but he does struggle to not his head, almost looking nervous.

“Sorry.” Theo takes her hand from Edward’s arm, curling her fingers in to hide the claws that grew from her nails. They aren’t receding, but they aren’t growing, either.

Thankfully, Esme sits her down for dinner ad they forget the whole encounter.


End file.
